Draft-equalizer.



PATBNTED JAN. 8, 1907. B. J. DETRIGK 6: I. A. WEAVER.

DRAFT EQUALIZ'BR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.19. 1.906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS cm, wAsl-lmmuu, c.

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN J.

A'rnivr' OFFICE.

DETRICK AND IRA A. WEAVER, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS;'

SAID WEAVER ASSIGNOR TO SAID DETRICK.

DRAFT-EQUALIZER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1907.

Application filed September 19, 1906. SerialNo. 335,264.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known'that we, BENJAMIN J. DE- TRICK and IRA A. WEA ER, citizens of the United States, and residents of Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Equalizers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to draft-equalizers, and more particularly tothat type or class of such devices as are commonl employed in connection with agricultura implements, especially sulky and gang plows operated by three or four horses traveling abreast. Where a team is thus em loyed, it is desirable to so direct and apply t is draft strains of the team as to enable one outer horse to travel in the furrow previously made by the plow, while the rest of the team travels on the unbroken or land side of the furrow. As this ordinarily throws the line of resistance of the plow somewhat to one side of the central line of draft of the team, the natural tendency is to crowd the team toward the plowed side of the ground.

v One object of our invention, therefore,is to provide an improved construction of draft equalizer adapted to resist this tendency to crowd the furrow-horse over onto the plowed ound. Another object of the invention is to provide a shorter connection between the equalizer-bar and the plow-beam than has heretofore been possible and one which is adapted to facilitate the turning movement of the team within a comparatively small space, which object is accomplished by a construction permitting the connection-piece to which the clevis is attached to overlap the equalizer-bar and the latter to assume comparatively sharp angles with the draft-b eam of the plow or other implement to which it is attached.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved connecting means be tween the equalizer-bar and the plow or other implement designed to permit lateral or sidewise movement of the clevis relatively to the plow-beam without angular movement of the latter-in other words, to permit the clevis to move laterally into positions which are always parallel with each other.

Ourinvention will be readily understood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the equalizer-bar and its immediate connections to the beam of the plow or other implement to which it is attached, the angular position of the equalizer-bar being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2

is an end elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, and Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional Views on the lines 8 3 and 4 4 of Fig. 1 looking in the directions indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates the equalizer bar, which is preferably a solid beam.

6 designates the usual doubletrees pivoted to the ends of the equalizer-bar by the usual clips 7 and pivot-bolts 8, and 9 designates 1 the usual swingletrees pivotally connected to the ends of the doubletrees 6 by the links 10 and pivot-bolts 11 and 12. f 13 designates, as an entirety, a connectionpiece that is located between the rear side of the equalizer bar 5 and the cross-clevis. This connection-piece, the constructional characteristlcs of which constltute an lmportant feature of our Invention, is adapted to overlap or intersect the equalizer-bar atits forward end and for this purpose may be conveniently formed, as herein shown, by a pair of comparatively thin metal plates, the intermediate portions of which (indicated at 14) are riveted together, as shown, the forward portions 15 being laterally spread or oifset, as indicated at 16, so as to overlap, the

equalizer-bar on both sides, and the rear portions 17 being also laterally spread or, offset, as indicated at 1'8, but to a less extent, to accommodate between them the forward apertured end of the cross-clevis 19.

A pair of links 20 pivotally connect the forward end of the connection-piece 13 with one end of the equalizer-bar 5, said links being pivoted to the forward offset portions 15 of the connection-piece by the pivot-bolts 21 and being pivoted to the equalizer-bar bythe pivot-bolt 8 of the doubletree 6. Another pair of links 22 similarly connect therear portion of the connection-piece. 13 ,with the equalizer-bar at approximately thelongitudinal centerof the latter, said links being connected to the rear oflsetportion 17 of the connection-piece by the bolts 23 and to the "bolt 33.

equalizer=bar by athrough-bolt24. It will thus be-seen' that the two-part links and 22, like the forward end of the connection- :piece 13, partially. overlap or! embrace the' sides of the equalizer-bar 5, thusenabling the Ttion-piece is held a ainst angular movement relatively to thep ow-beam. Thelinks 20 I 5 and 22 thus cooperate with'the angularlyrigid connection-piece 1 3 in resisting en dwise thrust of the equal1zer-bar ar1s1ngafrom the fact'that the central line of resistance of the plow does not coincide with the central line "of draft of the team, and thus prevents the crowding of the"off horse over onto the plowed ground. At the same time the described'connections permit the equalizer-bar to assume a relatively sharp angle to the connection-piece for turning t e team'around, as

* indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the connection between the clevis and the plow-beamfor permitting sidewiseswing of the clevis without angular movement thereof, which is especially applicable to sulky-plows, 26 may desi nate an angle-bracket bolted to one side of the plowbeams 25. Pivoted to the forward end of the plow-beam and to theend of the laterally- "projecting arm of the bracket 26 are two pairs of links 27 and 28, respectively, and between the outer ends of each pair of links are mounted on vertical pivots 29 and 30 vertical cl'evises 31 and 32, I to which the horizontal clevis19 is connected by the horizontal pivot- Integ'ral with one of the links. 27 (herein shown as the lower) is a laterally-projecting arm 34, to which is connected a rod (not shown) within reach of the operator.

35,-that ext-ends back and is directly or indirectly connected to a suitable operating-lever It will'be obvious thata pull or thrust upon the rod 35 will swing the links 27 and '28 an- I gularly to one side or the other always in par "allelism to eachother, which action obvi- -ously prevents angular movement of the cross-clevis 19-and1insures its'bodily lateral movement'always in. positions which are parallelto each other. This lateral shifting of "the clevis-is frequently desirableto'correct "occasional tendencies of theplow to swing unduly to one side. or the other.

We claim 1. 'In a draft-equalizer, the combination "with a draft-bar, of .a connection-piece capa- -ble at'its forward end of overlapping the draft-bar, means for holding said connection- "piece against angular movement, andlmks connectmg separated points on said connection-pieoe with the draft bar at approxi- .mately the longitudinal center and one end of the latter, respectively, substantially as de scribed.

2. In a draft-equalizer, the combination with a draft-bar, of a connection-piece open at its forward end and capable of overlapping the sides of the draft-bar, means for holding said connection-piece against angular movement, and links connecting sepa rated points on both sides of said connectionpiece with both sides of the draft-bar at ap proximately the longitudinal center and one end of the latter, respectively, substantially as described.

3. In a draft-equalizer, the combination with a draft-bar, of a connection-piece capable 'at its forward end of overlapping the draft-bar, means for holding said connectionpiece against angular movement, a link connecting the forward portion of said connection-piece with one end of the draft-bar, and another link connecting the rear portion of said connection-piece with the draft-bar near the longitudinal center of the latter, substantially as described.

4. In a draft-equalizer, the combination with a draft-bar, of a connection-piece 0 Jen at its forward end and capable of over apping the sides of the draft-bar, means for holding said connection-piece against angular movement, a pair of links connecting the opposite sides of the forward portion of said connectioniece with the opposite sides of one end of t e draft-bar, and another pair of links connecting the opposite sides of the rear portion of said connection-piece with the opposite sides of the draft-bar near the longitudinal center of the latter, substantially as described.

5. In a draft-equalizer, the combination with a draft-bar, of a connection-piece consisting of a pair of metal lates secured together and having latera ly-offset forward end portions adapted to overlap the sides of the draft-bar and laterally-ofi'set rear portions adapted to embrace the cross-clevis ofa plow or like implement, a air oflinks connecting the offset forward portions of the connection piece with the opposite sides of one end of the draft-bar, and another pair of links connecting the offset rear portions of the connection-piece with the opposite sides of the draft-bar near the longitudinal center of the latter, substantailly as described.

6. The combination with a clevis and a plow-beam, of a connection between said parts-permitting lateral bodily movement of said clevis but preventing angular movement thereof, substantially as described.

'7. The combination with a clevis and a plow-beam, of a pair of links pivotally connected at their opposite ends to laterally-separatedpoints on said clevis and plow-beam,

respectively, whereby said clevis is permitted a lateralbodily movementbut is prevented from angular movement, substantially as described.

8. The combination with an equalizer-bar, and a connection-piece, of links connecting the latter to said equalizer-bar in a manner to resist endwise thrust of the latter under draft of the team, a clevis, and means connecting the latter to the low or other implement ermitting bodily ateral movement of said 0 evis and connection-piece but preventing angular movement thereof, substantially as described.

9. The combination with an equalizer-bar, and a connection-piece, of links connecting the latter to said equalizer-bar in a manner to resist endwise thrust of the latter under draft of the team, a cross-clevis connected to the rear end of said connection-piece, a plowbeam, a pair of links pivotally connected at their opposite ends to laterally-separated points on said cross-clevis and plow-beam,

BENJAMIN J. DETRICK. IRA A. WEAVER.

Witnesses:

M, A. MoOUToHEN, J. F. MCLERMAN. 

